What happened
On August 28, 2000, a Mooney 252 M20K, registration D-EKWB, departed from Samedan Airport for a planned visual flight rules (VFR) flight toward Hamburg. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft flew toward the Piz Mez and Piz da las Blais area. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying straight into a bank of clouds, after which it disappeared from sight.
Subsequent reports from witnesses in the area described a change in the engine's sound, suggesting the aircraft may have entered a spiral descent. Moments later, a loud impact was heard. The aircraft struck a rock face nearly head-on with its left wing and engine, causing the fuel tanks to rupture and resulting in an explosion. The pilot was killed in the accident.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) in collaboration with the Graubünden Cantonal Police, examined the wreckage and the circumstances of the flight. Technical analysis of the wreckage, performed with the assistance of the Zurich City Police Scientific Service, found no mechanical failures. The condition of the propeller indicated that the engine was producing power at the moment of impact.
Investigators also reviewed the pilot's credentials, noting a valid private pilot license with instrument flight rules (IFR) capabilities. An autopsy of the pilot revealed no evidence of drugs, alcohol, or acute medical issues, and injuries to the pilot's hands suggested they were actively controlling the aircraft at the time of the crash. Weather data from the Swiss Meteorological Institute indicated that while the general weather was good, there were scattered clouds and the potential for irregular cloud bases near mountain ridges.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under VFR flight plans despite the presence of significant cloud remnants along the route.
- The pilot maintained a straight flight path into a cloud bank, and it remains unclear if this was an accidental entry or an attempt to fly through the clouds.
- The accident was likely caused by continuing visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) within mountainous terrain.